"It's really just disastrous." Swiss glaciers have suffered a near-record loss of ice in 2026, new data shows, as intense summer heatwaves take their toll on Alpine peaks. More than 5% of the country's remaining glacier ice has disappeared in the last 12 months, which scientists say is "extraordinary". They warn that such rapid melting is no longer a surprise given the pace of climate change, but it could threaten water supplies for farming, hydropower and transport in the decades ahead. Dr Matthias Huss, director of Glacier Monitoring Switzerland which produced the report, said: "At some glaciers we've seen four metres of ice loss at the highest point, where they should be covered by several metres of winter snow at this time of the year". Tap the link in BBCNews's bio to see how other areas have been affected. (📸 L. Hösli/U. Meier, M. Huss, VAW-ETHZ/A. Bauder) #Switzerland #Glaciers #Ice #Science #BBCNews